Pieces of a broken mirror
by M00nlight Shadow
Summary: Sakura thought she was going home… but she wasn't going to anytime soon. With many lies and changes up ahead she was beginning to understand there wasn't going to be a happy ending. But Uchiha Itachi… knew it all along. ON HOLD
1. Chapter 1

**Author: **M00nlight Shadow  
**Characters/Pairing: **Itachi x Sakura  
**Genre:** Romance/Angst  
**Rating: **M  
**Disclaimer:** Naruto belongs to Kishimoto  
**Beta:** Skye-sama

**Summary:** Sakura thought she was going home… but she wasn't going to anytime soon. With many lies and changes up ahead she was beginning to understand there wasn't going to be a happy ending. But Uchiha Itachi… knew it all along.

**This is the sequel of Invisible touch so I advice you to read the prequel first to prevent confusion.**

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**Pieces of a broken mirror**

**Chapter 1 – Escape**

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…It was cold.

_Goddamn cold! _

She rolled over, taking the thin sheets with her with clenched fingers. It rustled softly when the young woman tried to get her legs back under the sheets. Not that it was necessary anyway. The thin material didn't give her the heat her body demanded. She curled her toes to check if there was any feeling left in them. Lucky for her, they had. She sighed heavily and rolled over again until she was lying on her back while the bed cracked in progress. It was the only sound she could hear in this strange room. The weird air was still flowing around and was still affecting her.

_Weak._ Sakura felt weak. Still with almost no chakra in her body, and she quickly learned that it wasn't going to return anytime soon while she's being held in this place. Where the hell was she anyway!? She could be on a freaking island!

Sakura slowly opened her eyes, not expecting light anyway. And she was right. It was still dark. The once warm colour of the fire had left place for a dark and cold colour that made her feel alone and helpless. It wasn't far from it. Her head turned, with a lot of protest from her neck, to the small opening in the wall. She still could see the stars very clearly through the window. It was also the only light source she had now since the fire died a few hours ago. At least she thought it had been hours.

The Kunoichi's eyes moved away from the beautiful stars and focused on something else, the ceiling. Though she wasn't really looking at it. Her mind wandered somewhere else.

She guessed that it also had been a few hours since the Uchiha Prodigy left her alone in this prison, telling her that she was going to leave tomorrow. Destination: home. As ridiculous as it sounded, but it was true: Uchiha Itachi was letting her go home. And somehow she trusted him on his words. But still…

_Just like that!?_

It sounded like a joke to her.

It was just too strange. Sakura just could not understand it at all! For example: Every idiot knew that she could be used as bait to capture her friend and teammate, Naruto. Because even Sakura knew that her blond teammate would come for her. She was the Hokage's apprentice and was one of the finest medic-nin in Kohona, maybe the best because of her perfect chakra control. She killed an Akatsuki, Sasori of the sand. She was well known in many villages because of her healing powers and successful missions.

She could go on like this. Why would she trust him? An Akatsuki for god's sake! Sasuke's hated brother! The pink-haired Nin knew Sasuke was hard to understand. But Uchiha Itachi was a pure mystery. A still unsolved mystery that would most likely remain that way.

So was it a trap? A stupid joke!? Maybe he was already gone and left her in this rotten cell to starve and die all alone. Sakura shivered at the thought. There was no way she was going to die like that. Sakura was determined that she would find a way to get to her beloved home again, if Itachi really had abandoned her.

She would see Naruto again and Kakashi, Sai, Ino and-…

Sakura's eyes instantly widened and abruptly sat up staring at the wall before her.

She totally forgot! What happened to Naruto? Kakashi? …Sasuke? Sakura tried to relax her muscles, which didn't succeed so well. Little did she know that she was beginning to sweat from concern.

The Kunoichi was too startled and surprised when she heard that the elder Uchiha was letting her go, that she just completely forgot. She felt such shame right now… What kind of shinobi forgets about her teammates? She suspected that it was because of this strange room with its air and her tiredness. Like her brain didn't have the energy to collect information anymore. This was so tiring…

Back then Itachi refused to answer her when she asked him about her team and Sasuke. Did he know something? Did the large man called Kisame hurt them? Why would he hurt them and let her go home? If he actually attacked them…

The leaf Nin closed her tired eyes and crooked her legs and held them together with her arms to lower her head so she could lay it on her knees. She felt light-headed and the feeling was making it also hard to think.

She tried to get her mind blank, which was very difficult. Like her mind were pieces of a puzzle.

It was then that she felt something… and it was coming from outside. Sakura's head immediately turned towards the small window. Whatever she felt was small but it was getting closer. It was getting stronger. The young woman felt a large amount of chakra all together. The medic didn't recognize the chakra signature and that mostly wasn't a good sign. Still coming closer and clos-

Right towards to her!

_Holy crap! Not good!_

Sakura quickly got off the bed only to fall on her knees when she felt no strength in her legs. She cursed softly. _Not now._ The chakra presence was getting stronger and closer. But where did she have to go? She was stuck there! Maybe the Akatsuki sent them to finish her o-

Sakura gasped in surprise when she noticed that someone was behind her but she was too late to react. Abruptly, a warm hand covered her mouth, and a strong arm kept her arms on her sides. The strong grip tightened when she tried to struggle weakly.

"Be quiet Kunoichi." The voice that came behind her was low and demanding but also familiar. _He was here._ She felt his warm breath on her ear. _He was so close._ She could smell his fresh scent that reminded her of autumn. She also felt his warm body against her cold one. And the strange thing was that Sakura sort of welcomed it.

The dazed young woman blinked a few times, then as her response she relaxes her tensed muscles. Itachi strong grip was suddenly lessened now, but still firm to keep her in his hold. She hadn't much chakra after all. There was no way she could fight him. She shivered slightly when she felt her body started to warm up because of his body heat.

Itachi's wounds were far from healed. He hadn't had enough time to recover for _this_. The Uchiha actually never expected that the minute Kisame left their hideout these hunter Nins would appear.

Convenience?

Their 'real' leader, summoned Kisame four hours ago. He didn't know the reason. This actually never happened before. He and his partner would usually go together to their leader whenever they were called. It was one of the Akatsuki's rules. But this time only Kisame was needed. Ironically their leader actually broke one of his own rules that they had strictly followed. _But __apparently _not anymore. 

This didn't suit him. Didn't suit him at all. Every fool could see that this was planned. Itachi automatically, by feeling danger, activated his deadly Sharingan and narrowed his eyes.

It was then that the Sharingan wielder felt a painful and powerful sting in his eyes. Or it felt more like that there was a bomb going off in his head. He flinched and closed his eyes in pain but didn't make a sound. He quickly deactivated his Sharingan. The fierce fight with his little brother took more of him then he expected. His eyes opened slowly again, and dark deep eyes appeared again. But that didn't mean that the pain lessened.

Sakura felt Itachi muscles tense behind her. She concluded that these Nin apparently weren't friendly to him either. The Kunoichi moved her head a little and Itachi's hand that covered her mouth left silently.

"Who are they?" She whispered still looking to the little window with concerned eyes.

"Mist." Itachi whispered back.

Sakura cursed inwardly because she knew what that meant. "Not friendly…" She mused.

"Hn."

The leaf female took that as a simple yes. But now she knew where she was. Mist.

She was about to ask what to do now when the man behind her stirred.

"Get up." The Uchiha commanded that was almost a whisper but still demanding.

Sakura let out a small sound of surprise when she felt the grip around her waist and arms tighten so he could pull her up with one swift movement. Sakura wanted to growl at him but then her legs were screaming and her knees buckled. She would fall again if Itachi would loosen his grip, but he didn't. Her body sought automatically something where she could lean on. The leaf Nin leaned back until she felt the warm chest and shoulder touching her back. Sakura closed her eyes in relieve almost totally forgetting _who_ was actually standing behind her. The young woman blinked when she noticed that she was actually leaning against Uchiha Itachi. She quickly leaned away, thought it wasn't much.

After a few seconds Sakura began to frown when they still hadn't moved.

The young medic bit on her under lip while she slightly turned her head to see what the man was actually doing. He wasn't even looking at her. He just stood there looking straight ahead, thinking about something. It took less then ten or fifteen seconds and he stirred again. His head lowered. His lips and nose only inches away from her ear.

"Can you walk?"

Sakura flinched for a second hearing that his voice was quiet… gentle? She leaned away from him and tried to stand on her own two legs. Itachi released her from his hold, gazing at her legs. They were shaking and that was certainly not a-

"Yes." She said quickly.

Itachi eyes went from her legs to her stunning eyes. They were gleaming, like there was another light source then the moon and stars. Her long hair messy but it sort of looked good on her. It gave her a more mysterious look with the moonlight touching her pale skin. It was then, only for a second, that Itachi didn't look at her like he once did. It didn't occur to him before but the young woman before him looked... what was the word for it...Enchanting, Attractive?

_Maybe this room was affecting him already..._

It was the sound of a tired sigh that woke him up.

She looked exhausted but still determined to leave this place. Her eyes were half lidded and she was having trouble standing straight, just like he thought. She had been too long in this room. The effect from the _Takysoma _was taking its toll from her.

But the young woman refused to look weak before him. She took a deep breath and nodded slowly.

It was enough as an answer for Itachi. He studied her for a second before he turned around to leave. The Uchiha didn't speak but it was already obvious that she would follow. Sakura noticed that he wasn't wearing his usual cloak, but still wore that black sleeveless shirt. His bandages still were the same.

The first step was difficult. When her naked foot carefully touched the cold floor she was afraid that she would fall again. Luckily she didn't. Her shoes, jounin vest and her precious headband were gone and there was no time to ask for them since Kisame probably removed them and put them away. Itachi already said that it was the large blue man that kidnapped her here.

She only wore dark shorts and a dark long-sleeved shirt. Pink hair covered her back and was slightly damp. A few hair strands were drawn to her skin like a magnet. After her eighth step Sakura noticed that her legs weren't shaking anymore. Her head turned to look at the room she once slept in. Maybe it was because she was out of that room that her legs didn't shake anymore. She didn't know and would probably never know. Not that she cared anyway. Sakura was already relieved to get out of that room.

The leaf medic looked at the direction where the Uchiha walked. His steps were large but walked slow. She noticed that he was also having difficulties at walking. She couldn't blame him when she looked at his wounds. Sakura followed him and tried to walk faster to keep up with him. The tunnel where they walked was narrow and dark. It smelled like mud and stone. Sakura didn't like it. She would hear once in a while tiny water drops dripping into the little pools on the floor. The air was heavy because of the dampness. She was so going to get sick.

It took maybe like, two minutes to reach a room that was a combination of a living room and a kitchen. Sakura stopped by the doorframe, seeing actually no reason to enter the room while Itachi walked silently to an old closet. He took two black cloaks and a pair of dark shoes. He turned to her and threw her the shoes and a cloak.

She caught them and frowned.

He spoke in a deep rich voice. "Put them on." The Uchiha said while he put his own cloak on, not even bothering to look at her.

Sakura stared at him for a second and was surprised that the cloak had no red clouds on them. It was just a normal black traveler's cloak. Not actually caring, she quickly put on her shoes and cloak. When she was done she looked up and was just in time to catch a bag that Itachi threw to her. She puffed and saw that he also grabbed a bag from the floor. The bag that she was holding was very familiar. It was her bag. Sakura quickly pulled at the straws and opened it, seeing that all of her stuff was still in it. He was giving it back. There were kunais in it as other useful weapons. Wasn't it dangerous to give them back to her?

_Did he even check the bag at all?_

The leaf female tensed when he was coming towards her, but he just slipped beside her leaving the room but not before brushing slightly against her since the door opening was just as narrow as the tunnel. Sakura didn't want to be left behind so she quickly turned around to follow him. Besides she had no idea were she was and how to get outside. And talking about outside…

She noticed that the hunter Nin had stopped. She didn't felt any movement their Chakra flow.

They just stood there on the same spot. She could feel it. Where were they exactly? Were the Mist Nin already inside? The pink haired woman had no clue, because she had no idea how big this place was. So why had they stopped? Why didn't they take action? Did those Mist idiots thought that they would just walk at them?

She looked at the Itachi. Well more like at the back. _What was his plan? _Where would they-

Sakura frowned deep and clenched her jaw when she noticed that there was something deeply wrong. _They? _Was there actually suppose to be a '_they_'? Why did Itachi come back for her? Wasn't he the enemy? … Which enemy would let go of his captive to go home? He had the choice to leave her in that room as a diversion for the Mist shinobi.

But he didn't.

So the only meaning she could think of was that she was sort important to him. So was the reason really bait? Bait to get his hands on Naruto? Her healing powers? It had to be one of those. There weren't any other options. Or perhaps ransom? Sakura narrowed her eyes and promised herself that she would find out after they got out of this. Or… rather if they actually survived this. The pink haired female shivered. She was still too young to die! Dammit! It was not fair. If only she recovered her chakra.

Sakura was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice that the man before her had stopped and almost bummed into him. Itachi had already turned. His face was focused on the damp wall next to them. Sakura looked at him with a confused expression. _What was he…?_

Her question was answered when he slowly raised a hand and made a quick seal. The man whispered something that Sakura couldn't hear. She felt so tired, she just couldn't focus so well. Sakura saw Itachi move again and walked straight ahead, straight through the…

Straight through the…_wall!_?

What the hell…!? _Genjutsu?_ The leaf Nin blinked a few times when the Uchiha wasn't anywhere to be seen anymore. Was she supposed to follow? She still stood on the same spot looking hesitated to the slippery wall.

Would I-

She yelped in surprise when a hand came out of the wall and grabbed her wrist, and with one strong pull, she almost flied through the wall and pulled into a firm chest. Sakura immediately knew who it was, and tried to shove him away, but he wouldn't let go of her wrist. She glared at him while he just stared back at her with a blank face. It was then that she noticed that the Uchiha Prodigy had dark eyes instead of ruby. It was almost she was pulled into the deep. It was strange that those dark eyes were more hypnotizing than his Sharingan.

"Stay close." With that he released her wrist, turned around and walked away.

Sakura sighed in frustration while watching the Uchiha go. _Bastard._

She looked around. There only was one way, and this tunnel was even narrower than where they walked before. The ceiling was higher and darker than the floor. Suddenly she had a feeling that the walls would come at her and squeeze her into a pancake. She quickly pushed the thought away. She had to focus.

Little torches lit the surroundings. Itachi took one and beckoned Sakura to do the same, which she did without protest. Almost stupid enough to let it fall, she hoped that the Uchiha wouldn't notice her clumsiness.

They were walking in silence for almost five minutes. Sakura looked around while she only heard their echoing footsteps. They passed by a few doors. Funny enough she was not even curious what would be behind those doors. All she wanted is to get out of here to seek out her team and go straight home.

Her eyes went to the floor. The pools were reflecting the light of torches around them. Curious that something like that looked so beautiful in a place like that. It was almost like there was still a spark of-

"_Oof."_ Sakura puffed.

She abruptly stopped and looked from the floor to look up and met dark onyx eyes. This time she did bum into Itachi, who had stopped his track and had already turned towards her, but was not looking at her but behind her. The leaf Nin was getting frustrated. She never knew what was going on in his head. Why didn't he just talk more? Her mouth open to ask him something but she quickly closed it when his head turned to look at her. They just stood there, barely a few inches apart, watching each other.

The pink haired Kunoichi didn't know why but she felt her cheeks turning red. Then the Uchiha suddenly spoke.

"Are you capable of running?"

Sakura was quiet for a moment before she nodded slowly. "I- I think so."

This time Itachi nodded.

"Why?" She asked.

The Sharingan wielder narrowed his eyes. "They're inside."

Sakura's eyes instantly widened. And before she could look back she felt Itachi grab her wrist again and pulled her into reality.

"We will move now." As a cue Itachi and Sakura moved in a great speed through the dark-cave-like-tunnel. The Mist Shinobis were indeed moving. She could feel it. Sakura really hoped that they didn't find that wall where they came through. It would be the end for them if they did, because they weren't as fast as they normally were. They were both exhausted because of the lack of chakra and dangerous wounds.

Two minutes seemed so long when they both weren't at their best form. It seemed endless and Sakura was about to slow down when she saw light. Not the sort of light the torches gave but moonlight. Sakura felt a tiny spark of relief. At least they had gotten safely out of this tunnel.

When they got outside, they stopped and looked at their surroundings. Sakura was already panting and she saw that Itachi was also having a hard time. He was also human after all.

It was so quiet… almost not to be trusted. But it was night after all. When she didn't feel any kind of presence, she turned to Itachi, who she obviously still didn't trust yet. It was cold outside. When she looked ahead she could only see trees, which were almost black because of the night. Behind her wasn't just a simple cave like she expected. It was more like a doorway to a mountain.

It was official. She clearly was not familiar here. Her eyes slowly followed the length of the mountain until it reached the sky.

Sakura was so distracted that she didn't feel it coming.

It struck her like a bomb. She let out a throaty scream when a kunai tore the flesh on her upper arm. She instantly laid her hand on the wound, hoping that she wouldn't lose much blood since she already was at her limit. She hissed through her teeth and tried to figure out where it came from. Itachi was already standing in his position. They both knew that they wouldn't stand a chance. They had to finish this quickly and escape before back up came.

The Kunoichi didn't even sense it when a Mist Nin appeared before her. Sakura's eyes widened in surprise and had just enough time to shield her upper body with crossed arms when a powerful kick was thrown at her. The air was squeezed out of her lungs while she flew backwards hitting the hard stonewall of the mountain. The Kunoichi felt that a warm liquid was making its way down from her head. A low groan was heard that wasn't coming from her. The sounds of kunais clenching together was making her head bounce. That meant Itachi already had his opponent.

Sakura wasn't given the time to stand up when a hand took her by the neck to pull her up. She struggled, but that didn't help. She tried to keep her head cool but that also didn't succeed. Her head was turning red from the lack of oxygen. Her sight was getting vague and black spots appeared. Her arms and legs also wouldn't cooperate with her. There was almost no feeling in them.

The Mist Nin chuckled seeing his prey slowly closing her eyes. He was sort of disappointed that he didn't even have a decent fight.

…That chuckle quickly died away and changed into a low scream.

The Mist Nin released his hold and looked down, seeing a katana thrusted to his lung. A knee buckled and was slowly falling forward. Then a hand was placed on his shoulder and pulled him in one strong shove backwards.

Itachi didn't give him a glance while he heard the Shinobi took his last breath. The Katana was quickly covered underneath his cloak. The Uchiha finished the other Nin a moment ago, and then saw that the leaf Kunoichi was not going to make it in the condition she was in now. He didn't know why but he admit it that he didn't hesitate for one second to finish the man off that was holding the leaf female in a death grip. But he supposed it didn't matter anymore. Everything had changed since this strange female saved him from the eternal dark. By all rights he was supposed to be dead. Killed by his little brother. Itachi always knew his day would come. He was prepared for it- he had calculated everything. Then this female came and actually ruined it all… Not only for his little brother, but also for him.

Genius or not, he didn't know what to do right now. Since he should be dead, the Akatsuki were trying to kill him. Well more like sending other shinobis to do the dirty work for them. But that also meant other things. Why would they want him death? They wouldn't kill him because he was still useful to them when he still was alive. Unless… Itachi narrowed his eyes at the thought.

He suspected it for a while.

Madara already had gotten his hands on Sasuke.

And now Itachi wasn't needed anymore. Sasuke had become strong, and one day he would fully surpass his elder brother. The young will surpass the old. That was a simple fact.

Itachi always knew the hate Madara had against his former village. He wanted to destroy it. Powerful as the Uchiha was, he needed his little brother's help. And Itachi would only be a hindrance if Sasuke knew the truth about him, and knew he was still alive; if he knew about the dark lies and deceits of Kohona.

But if his little brother knew that he was dead… If Sasuke would know that truth, he wouldn't join with Madara, because Sasuke saw that this girl gave him his life back. But even so, Madara can be very convincing.

_With lies._

What if Madara told Sasuke that he was dead? That he still died from his wounds? Itachi just couldn't believe that Sasuke would fall for that. He was his brother after all. He wasn't a fool.

So what was the reason Madara wanted him dead? Was he afraid of something…?

The leaf female began to stir. He heard her moan in pain. She was still alive. Barely.

Itachi bend his knees and lowered himself. "Kunoichi."

A muffle sound escaped her throat and the dark haired man tried again. "_Medic_." His voice was louder this time.

Slowly, very slowly like she was hesitating, she opened her eyes and saw a dark figure kneeling before her. A panic rose in her and tried to pull the stranger away. The man caught her two small hands and spoke again.

"Kunoichi. Can you stand?" Itachi didn't want to admit it but he was in a weak state now. So carrying her would cost a lot of his energy.

Sakura blinked and nodded when she recognized Itachi's voice. The Uchiha actually doubted she had the strength. He helped her get up with one arm around her waist and one holding her upper arm that wasn't bleeding. When they stood straight, well more like Itachi stood straight; Sakura immediately leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed softly.

"This is the worst day of my life." She muttered, missing the tiny smirk that appeared on the handsome face of the Uchiha.

"Hn."

It was nice. Just standing there with a warm body close to her. Suddenly Sakura felt sleepy, but she knew there wasn't any time for that. They had to keep moving. Standing there and doing nothing was a stupid mistake. The leaf medic knew she wouldn't make it far; hell maybe a few meters was her limit. But if she didn't try, she was convinced that Naruto would hunt her down, revive her and kill her again, because she gave up so quickly. The thought of it made her smile and gave her a little more strength.

"Lets go." She whispered. Sakura took a few deep breaths and pulled herself together. She had to make it out here alive. _She had to._

Itachi waited patiently for her to find her balance, also being alert at the same time. They couldn't afford another surprise attack. When her exhausted eyes found his, she was beginning to wonder why she was feeling rather comfortable with him. Maybe it was just because she knew that he wouldn't kill her. _Yet._

"Come."

And they were on the move again through the forest. After a while the Uchiha jumped on a tree and jumped from branch to branch. Sakura followed all the while her hand covered her wound preventing to get dirt or other things in it. She was having trouble to locate him sometimes. After all it was still dark outside and not to mention cold or more like freezing. She even could see her own breath. Lucky that her cloak was giving her some kind of heat but her face was giving the full blow of the cold as her toes.

It didn't take long for her to understand that she was about to faint if she kept up with this. She saw black spots before her, and that was certainly not a good sign. Her lungs were beginning to burn. Her eyelids to heavy and her legs hurt like a bi-

Sakura slightly widened her eyes.

Itachi disappeared before her and she abruptly stopped on a thick branch. She stared at the spot were the man just stood. Were did he go? Did he leave her? She looked around in total confuse.

It was then that her exhausted body was at its limit. She fell on her knees, crossing her arms around her. She began to shiver. Her head began to glow and the wounds on her arm began to burn like hell. If she didn't do anything soon there would be an infection. She closed her eyes trying to focus.

Her head jumped up when she felt a presence before her, a familiar one. So the bastard didn't leave her at all. The pink haired female intended to scowl at him but she didn't even have the strength for that.

Itachi watched as the small form beneath him began to shake. He noticed she was trying to keep conscious, while fighting against the cold and pain. He concluded that she was at her limit. Even he was almost at his limit but gathered his strength for his next action.

Sakura gasped when she felt him pull her up in bridal style. Itachi quickly moved thus giving Sakura no time to react, but instead of jumping from tree to tree he jumped down. Sakura clenched her hands on his shirt, scared that she might fall. She winced when his feet touched the ground with a soft thud. She felt like her brain was shaking. The Uchiha noticed her discomfort and his hold tightens unaware.

He was fast even in his current state. Sakura saw that a few of his wounds were open again. Sakura really envied the man. Having so much will power to keep moving. She figured out he was holding in back then, so she could keep up. That brought her back to a familiar question. Why was he doing this? Surely the Kyuubi wasn't worth his own life. Sakura always thought Uchiha Itachi was egoistic and only thought about himself. Life was really full of surprises. But maybe the biggest one was yet about to come out.

----

Water. She heard the sound of water. They were close to a river. It took a few second until they saw it clearly and stopped. The river was crystal clear and looked clean. Perfect. She could wash her wounds, guessing that she couldn't use her healing powers anytime soon. But the Uchiha didn't stop. Itachi began to walk this time because there was no reason to run anymore. They left the Mist Nin in quite a distance. The Kunoichi only could trust Itachi's judgment now.

The river's flow was not powerful so Itachi had no difficulties walking over it.

Sakura then noticed a small opening in a sort of stonewall that was covered with bushes and moss. It was almost unnoticeable. To Sakura's surprise there was light coming from inside. It was small but if you looked good enough it could be seen and was getting brighter when they were moving closer, almost like moths that were drawn by the light.

It was small inside and… warm. She instantly saw that there was someone else in there. It was Itachi. Or more like another Itachi, sitting against the wall in a relaxed posture. It was a shadow clone that immediately disappeared when he looked up and met Itachi real eyes. His job was done. He made a fire and was keeping guard. If the shadow clone would disappear anytime sooner then they would arrive, Itachi would know that it wasn't safe anymore, and then they would have to find another shelter.

Itachi kneeled down and laid Sakura gently against the rough stonewall in front of the small fire. Sakura slowly released her hold on his shirt but still held her gaze on the Uchiha. The young male didn't return her gaze. He walked to the entrance, and made a seal like he did with that stonewall in the narrow tunnel. Within a second she saw that a large stone was slowly making its way, from outside next to the entrance, to cover the opening of their little hideout. When it was done, Itachi remained on the same spot, examining his work. Once he was satisfied, the Uchiha prodigy turned around, eyes fixed on the pink haired female before him.

Sakura gulped when she felt his eyes burning into hers.

_Now what?_

Footsteps echoed through the cave when Itachi walked, stopped before Sakura, and kneeled. The young female flinched at his closeness, and tensed when he raised a hand, only to lay it gently on the elbow of her sensitive wounded arm. She gasped in surprise.

Itachi inspected her arm. The wound was fresh. Her arm was shaking. Blood dripped from her elbow making a small crimson pool on the ground. Fortunately it wasn't a very deep cut, but still painful.

The Kunoichi tried to tug her arm out of his reach, but Itachi's other hand quickly grabbed her wrist, giving it a light squeeze.

"_Don't_."

Sakura narrowed her eyes, obviously still not trusting the man. Next, Itachi tried to touch her upper arm were the freshly cut was, but again the pink haired female protested by tugging her arm out of his reach.

"Don't touch me." Sakura spat while she slapped his hand away. She was exhausted and confused. It was getting her grumpy, and this man wasn't helping.

Itachi eyes, which were focused on her wound, looked up to meet her eyes. He was silent for a moment, and Sakura felt awkward since he also suddenly invaded her personal space. The Uchiha didn't even blink once while he looked at her.

"I do not wish to harm you."

Just like that… Sakura had no idea how to react to that.

His voice was quiet and careful, she didn't know why but her eyes softened_. Who is he really? Why was he so gently? You're not suppose to be like this. I am supposed to hate you, pity you… _

_Kill you…_

She just couldn't get it. She couldn't get why she didn't feel any hate rising in her while watching the dark haired man. A flash, from the moment their lips touched back in that room, suddenly flew through her mind. She mentally shook her head, and quickly put that thought aside. If she was blushing it did go unnoticed since her cheeks were already colored from their exhausted escape through the forest. Why did she actually think about that?

Itachi, who observed her, took her silence as an answer and without warning, his hand, which he used to hold her wrist, lifted to lay it gently on her forehead. The Kunoichi instantly tensed again

"Wha-"

"You have a fever." He stated.

Sakura closed her eyes and sighed. He was right. She was almost literally burning. "I know." She said softly.

When she slowly opened her eyes, Itachi had already removed his hand from her forehead. Sakura's voice sounded hoarse and almost a whisper, but Itachi was close enough to hear it. "…You don't look so well either."

It was also true. Itachi never felt this weak before. His wounds reopened when he took the fight with that Mist Nin, and saw now that the once white bandages had almost turned in a crimson one. Every movement was making it worse. He still felt the stinging pain through his eyes that reached to his head. His legs were weak and his hands were also starting to shake a bit. He needed a lot of time to recover as for the pink haired female before him. But by looking at their situation, he doubted that they got that time. Those Hunter Nin were still around and they didn't give up so easily. This is why they lived for. Hunting down their prey and eliminating them.

"Remove your shirt." He said bluntly.

The Uchiha decided that they first had to clean their wounds, but it was rather obvious that the medic wasn't capable of moving at all.

Sakura somehow felt her head heat up more, and stuttered. "W-wha…? E-excuse me?"

Itachi kept his mind calm but was slightly amused that she still tried to be polite towards him. He gathered his strength to his legs, trying to lift himself up with a lot of protest from its body.

"Your wound needs to be cleaned." The dark haired man said dryly. "Remove it."

Sakura watched curiously when the raven-haired man walked to the other side of the cave were he bent down to pick up his bag. The young woman didn't even notice that he placed his bag there. She followed his movement and noticed that Itachi was panting a little. When he kneeled in front of her again, he looked through his bag and finally revealed the things he searched for.

Two bottles which contained water. One small bottle, which still had unknown liquid in it, and a clean roll of bandage.

"I…" Sakura started, "I can't… remove it…" She added in an almost silent voice.

If she moved her wounded arm she was sure that the wound would bleed more than it already was, and not forget the fact that she was probably too tired to move at all. Itachi seemed to understand this and nodded once. His hands went to the top of her sleeve to carefully tear it off, while Sakura tried not to move. It went easy since her sleeve had already a tear through it. He threw the ripped off cloth beside him.

Sakura blinked when he opened one of the water bottles, careful not to spill. When his hand touched her pale skin, Itachi felt her shiver. The young man let his hand glide expertly from her elbow to her upper arm. Her skin was soft, smooth and warm. At least the fire had helped. The prodigy felt the thin hairs on her arm straighten up, and heard her sigh softly. It almost made him tug his lips into a smile at the though that he was the cause of her goose bumps. Dark eyes focused on the dried blood around her wound, and on her lower arm. He would clean that later, first the wound. While he held her wounded arm still, he carefully poured out the first drops of water over the wound.

Sakura, who didn't looked away from Itachi's eyes for one second, immediately tensed and let out a small hiss when she felt her wound sting. Her arm automatically tried to get away from it but the Uchiha would not let her. Sakura bit on her inner cheek while Itachi continued to pour some more water over her wound. This time Sakura let him, still focused on his handsome face while he did his work. His hands were gentle and warm, not rough and cold like she expected them to be. He treated her like she was a precious porcelain doll.

The female spoke in a confused whisper. "Why?"

_Why are you doing this?_

He settled the bottle on the floor, reached for the bandage, and unrolled the white material in front of her. His eyes slowly found hers. "It will get infected otherwise."

Her eyes were half lidded when she spoke. "Tha-" She took a deep breath, "…That's not what I meant."

"Hn." He placed the bandage on his knee and took the smaller bottle from the floor to open it. Itachi carefully let a few droplets fall on the bandage, and was about to drop a few on her wound but a feminine hand stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

"What…" Sakura took another deep breath, clearly having difficulties with breathing, "…is that?"

"It will help." Was all he said.

Their eyes didn't leave each other for almost ten second when the leaf Kunoichi finally nodded weakly, and released her hold. Itachi followed the droplets when they left the edge of the small bottle.

The effect from the liquid was even worse than water. A weak cry escaped her throat when she felt the few droplets touched her wound, while Itachi was still holding her arm. The feeling was like it was burning her flesh.

And just like that it stopped. The Kunoichi let her head fall back and sighed in relief.

Next were the bandages, and this time she tried to relax her body while he worked his way around her arm and shoulder. Like before, Itachi worked carefully and slowly. Sakura noticed that his eyelids were threatening to fall. The man was also exhausted and wounded, maybe more seriously than she. And yet he took the time to aid her first instead of himself. Were all so-called enemies like this? Gentle? Perhaps even caring? …She clearly didn't think so. Yes. Impossible. Right?

_He was such a strange man. _

Itachi gave the bandage a small tug, testing if the bandage was too tight. When he was satisfied he looked at her once again. His hand reached to the still unopened bottle of water, while the other hand took her smaller hand, which wasn't wounded. Sakura was too tired to protest at his actions, and before she knews it, Itachi gave the bottle to her in the hand he was holding.

"Drink." He said soft but firm.

He was a man with few words all right. Sakura sighed and nodded. "Hm."

She surely was going to dehydrate if she didn't drink much in this state.

Sakura drank slowly and felt so much better, even if it was a little, when the liquid eased her sore and dry throat, all the while she was looking at him, and he also made no move to look to another direction either- until Sakura finally looked away. His eyes were just too mesmerizing.

There was still enough in the bottle, when her thirst was quenched, she pointed the bottle to him, beckoning him to take it.

He closed his eyes and slightly shook his head, "No, drink it all."

"Bu-"

"I have enough." He interrupted, knowing what she most likely wanted to say.

Sakura lowered her hand, still holding the bottle. Her eyes also threatened to close. And she was about to close them if the man before her didn't suddenly stand up. Before he even could Sakura quickly reacted and placed her small (unoccupied) hand on his.

"Wait," Sakura whispered, and to her surprise he actually did. He eyed her for a moment before his onyx eyes slowly went to the small hand placed on his own. "…Let me help you." She said while she nodded at his bandage.

"You already did Kunoichi."

The pink haired female frowned at first but then she knew what he meant. Sakura was actually the person who bandaged him, and he still wore it, probably never had the chance to change it.

_So that was it? It was a returning a favor? _Just the thought of it was making her mad. That the older Uchiha was only helping her just because he felt like he had to return a favor.

"T-that didn't count." She countered. The young woman didn't understand her feelings right now. Her instincts were saying to leave him be 'cause he still was the enemy, while her feelings said she had to help him.

Itachi raised a thin eyebrow at the rather childish remark from her.

"Rest." Was all the man said. This time he stood up (taking his bag with him) without the young woman stopping him to sit, and leaned his back on the other side of the cave, closing his eyes. The fire was the only thing between them. The wood and fire crackled softly. Their shadows danced against the rough walls.

It was silent for a moment, and Sakura decided to ask some questions before she closed her eyes. "Where is… Kisame?"

Her question made the Uchiha look up, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Not here."

The pink haired Kunoichi honestly wanted to roll her eyes if they didn't hurt so much from the lack of sleeping. "Thanks for stating the obvious..." She mumbled under her breath.

"Hn."

"Aren't the Akatsuki going to get you, save you or something? You're part of them right?" She paused. "…Or do they abandon each other in times like this?" The last part wasn't actually a question, because she sort of suspected that the Akatsuki didn't give a damn about each other. It wasn't a friendly group of people after all. "Are they goi-"

"I am _not part_ of it _anymore_."

Sakura's eyes widened at his blunt statement. "Wh… s-so you're-"

"Rest, Kunoichi. Rest." The tone in his voice told her that he wasn't going to say anything more about it. Sakura wanted to know more, but decided she needed the rest first. They both did. She would ask more if she woke. _If she woke up…_

"…Itachi-san?"

The young man said nothing but looked at her, waiting.

Her eyes half lidded and glittered because of the fire. "…Never mind." She whispered, and with that her eyes closed. Exhaustion took over her.

The Uchiha shifted while looking at the female before him. This was actually the first time he really got time to look at her properly. Her thin pale lips slightly parted, breathing irregularly. Dark eyes focused on her closed ones. The warm color of the fire made her pale skin look like gold. Exotic pink hair turned into an almost warm orange color. She really looked peaceful for a moment. Somehow Itachi couldn't look away. She looked so fragile and somehow just looking at her like this, he somewhat knew she was a very caring person. But knowing her reputation…

_Such a strange female._

It was then that Itachi felt something rising inside his injured body. Immediately his hand covered his mouth and coughed. His body was screaming with pain and his throat was burning afterwards. It was like a million kunais stuck him from the outside as the inside and like there was a cactus stuck in his throat.

He eyed the young woman before him, but she was already fast asleep. His hand tickled when he felt warm liquid was searching its way down, eventually to fall soundless on the ground. He lowered his hand only to see a dark crimson color. _Blood._

He gathered the red liquid in his mouth, and spit it out. He actually never liked the taste of blood. Ironically, his life… his memories were full of blood. Blood that he inflicted over many people. Full of suffering and death. Full off fear and hate and pain.

Itachi's eyes narrowed unconsciously as he stared at his shaking hand for a minute. _It was time._

The Uchiha reached for his back to find a small box, which contained red pills, _drugs_. He took one, put it in his mouth and swallowed it. Then he took another bottle of water and drank it all, in slow gulps.

It didn't take long and he already felt the drug doing its work. Itachi sighed before he glanced at the remaining contents of the small box.

…There weren't that much left.

_And if you see me losing ground  
Don't be afraid to lie  
I know the pain inside my heart  
Can't break the fear inside of yours  
And if you see me losing faith in what it means to die  
Don't let me leave before I know what lies beyond the stained-glass doors _

Save sorrow for the souls in doubt  
Bleed every care out

Will you carry me down the aisle that final day,  
with your tears and cold hands shaking from the weight?  
When you lower me down beneath that sky of grey,  
let the rain fall down and wash away your pain.

For every word we never spoke,  
We have a tear to cry  
For every silence like a wall between a better you and I.  
So if you see me losing sight of all the death in life  
Find the peace in every time I failed to see the death in mine

Let all the fear inside you drown  
Tear out the blade and lay it down  
Save sorrow for the souls in doubt  
Bleed every care out

Oh, the blood is rushing out  
Oh, I'm better off without  
Oh, the walls are closing in  
Oh, sing for me again

_To be continued. _

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_**A/N**_

Okay, first chapter done. Yeah! Hope it wasn't confusing for you all. Also I wanted to report that this story is going to be slightly dark. Since reality isn't that nice either. But that will all depend on my writing style. Maybe it will turn out like a piece of crap. Yah never know right. I'm still learning to keep it interesting and trying to use more words then the same. Long life beta's!

And before you ask questions:  
-Itachi may be sort of ooc but just so you remember that he was suppose to be dead. He hadn't planned on surviving so he is also confused as clueless what to do now.  
-And about the 'Takysoma-room' part, those are the rooms/cells which the Akatsuki use too imprison their captives and to restrain their chakra.  
-And if it still is confusing… well next chapter will explain a couple of things!

_**Pieces off a broken mirror,**__**Theme Song:**__Carry me down__ can be found in my Profile._

_Thank you for reading! Hope you liked it._

_~M00nlight_


	2. Chapter 2

**Author: **M00nlight Shadow  
**Characters/Pairing: **Itachi x Sakura  
**Genre:** Romance/Angst  
**Rating: **M  
**Disclaimer:** Naruto belongs to Kishimoto  
**Beta:** Skye-sama

**Summary:** Sakura thought she was going home… but she wasn't going to anytime soon. With many lies and changes up ahead she was beginning to understand there wasn't going to be a happy ending. But Uchiha Itachi… knew it all along.

* * *

**Pieces of a broken mirror**

**Chapter 2 – Sadness**

* * *

It was like her eyes were on fire when she slowly opened them. The first thing she heard was the sound of singing birds. Then she noticed the tiny screeching sounds the crickets made. Sakura always hated the sounds that the tiny bugs made. It was annoying and was mostly driving her nuts. But this time it wasn't so bad, probably because there weren't many of them. She also heard the relaxing sound of the water current. If her head didn't hurt so much she could have thought that she was on vacation. But that instantly changed when she detected the smell of wet mud, the damp rocks and the after smell of a dead fire.

Her sight was still vague but was slowly recovering. Dark brown rocks were before her and the fire was indeed out. The black ash spot on the ground could be clearly seen. She spotted pebbles of different sizes, which were scattered on the muddy ground and the empty bottle next to her. But there was something missing…

_He is not here._

Sakura's head slowly turned to her right -hissing through her teeth when she felt a painful sting inside her head- noticing that the rock that once covered the entrance had been slightly moved. It was daytime. A warm beam of light sneaked inside touching Sakura's lower arm. The delicious heat of the bright beam slowly spread through her body. The young woman closed her eyes and sighed softly, clearly enjoying the feeling.

It was then that the pink haired Kunoichi realized that she actually was still alive. She made it through the freezing and painful night. Somehow it didn't surprise her that she wasn't dead yet. Even in her dreams she refused to die- still-hunted by the loud and cheerful blond who would kick her ass if she would even consider giving up and die alone. Not that it would matter anymore… But she wouldn't be here if Itachi hadn't aided her. It still sounded strange to her ears that Uchiha Itachi helped her survive.

Came back for her.

Saved her from the Mist nin.

Carried her to this shelter.

Bandaged her with care and gave her water.

Didn't even hit her once or treated her roughly like an enemy actually suppose to do… like she actually expected.

The young woman still had a minor fever. She was already relieved that it didn't burn as much as the night before. A small hand went automatically to her head while giving a throaty moan. Sakura blinked once when her hand didn't touch her skin, but another kind of soft material. It took a few seconds before she realized what it was.

_Bandage._

Sakura totally had forgotten the wound that Mist nin had inflicted on her head last night. But her brain was clear enough to remember that the Uchiha hadn't bandaged her head. So did he do it,…

…_while I was asleep?_

It was certainly the only way she could think of. The thought of the rather attractive man gently touching her skin while he aided her was making her stomach flip, and surprisingly enough not in a bad way. A low groan left her lips. She shouldn't be thinking about that. She should be paying attention towards her wounds. She removed her small hand off her forehead to place it carefully on her wounded arm. It didn't hurt that much anymore. The word numb was actually the best description for it. The Kunoichi uncrooked her slim legs one after the other. To her surprise she also noticed that there wasn't any dry blood on her arm. A frown appeared on her pale face.

_Did he clean that too? _She almost couldn't believe that she didn't wake up during his ministrations.

One knee protested with a soft crack when she tried to stretch her sore legs. The muscles in her legs felt heavy like they were massive stone bricks. But it wasn't so bad. At least there was feeling in them.

But the feeling of her dry throat was getting annoying. She needed water. Sakura gazed at the now empty bottle next to her. There wasn't even a drop left.

A rumble echoed through the small cave. Sakura flushed a little when she heard her belly screaming for some nourishment. This time she dropped her hand from her upper arm to place it on her complaining stomach. Now that Sakura thought about it, she hasn't gotten a proper meal in quite some time. Thinking about the good things she would like to eat was almost making her drool and maybe she would have if she didn't hear footsteps coming her way.

The young female's head instantly turned towards the entrance. At the beginning she only saw his silhouette, slowly stepping inside holding his bag, while his cloak floated behind him. When he was inside he turned around to make a familiar seal, and a second later the large rock was closing their entrance again, though she still saw some light coming from the edges from the entrance since they still had to breathe. But it was still dark if you compared it from the outside.

Sakura tried to adjust her fragile eyes to the darkness. A cold shiver ran down her body. The warm beams were certainly nice but that didn't mean it was warm outside. In fact it was cold. Close to freezing. Small hands almost desperately rubbing her arms to gain some heat.

Itachi already had taken his place before her against the wall, sitting in a relax posture. One knee crooked and one arm leaning lazily on it. Eyes closed.

Sakura notice that he still had his cloak on and also had the same unclean bandage around him. It somehow bothered her that he still hadn't replaced them. Sakura couldn't even imagine how much pain the Uchiha was in now. Still he made no sound of discomfort. Sakura stared at him for a while, trying to find any form of movement besides his slow breathing. When she did not find any, she decided to talk.

"Neh…Itachi…-san?" She asked, voice still husky from her sleep.

Silence.

Sakura didn't like it. She was about to speak again when Itachi abruptly opened his eyes, revealing dark orbs.

"What is it Kunoichi?"

For a moment she almost forgot what she was about to say. Hearing his rich voice like she didn't expected to always dazed her a little.

"Uh, a-"

"Do you need food?" Itachi asked suddenly.

Sakura waved her hands and shook her head. "N-no. T…that was not I was trying to say. I-"

A familiar rumble echoed through the damp cave. And there was the silence again. Sakura cursed inwardly with a slight flush on her face.

_Always a great timing…_

The young male before her had a glint of amusement in his deep eyes.

Knowing that her stomach actually answered already, she nodded slowly in answer at his question, trying not to look at him. The pink-haired female only looked up when she heard a rustle. Itachi was looking through his dark bag and finally found what he was looking for. It had an oval form and was drabbed with a thin sort of cloth. He carefully rolled it until the cloth was gone revealing a whole bread.

A crack was heard when he broke a piece of the bread. He threw the piece with a swift movement to Sakura.

She caught it with both hands looking at it for a second before she turned her attention towards the young man again. He was already chewing on his piece with closed eyes. Probably thinking what kind of shitty situation they were in now.

Suddenly Sakura remembered her thirst and her very dry throat. She probably could not even swallow the bread because of it. Nervously she bit on her under lip, afraid to ask him for water. Afraid she would be seen as an annoying companion or… prisoner. Afraid he would get mad. Though she has never seen him angry and she certainly didn't want to experience that.

While Sakura was struggling with her inner mind Itachi reopened his eyes again, only to see the leaf Kunoichi's fingers playing with the bread like she was hesitating to eat it. Her eyes that first were locked at her fingers suddenly looked up and their eyes met. Her lips slightly parted and quickly closed again. Then she repeated the action and Itachi raised an eyebrow, barely to be seen. It was obvious that she was trying to say something. The dark haired male waited patiently while taking another bite of his bread.

"Ano… Can I have some water,"

Sakura swallowed when onyx eyes instantly watched her intentionally. "…Please?" She added in a whisper.

Itachi watched her for a moment, and then nodded once already reaching for his bag. He heard her sigh and noticed she stopped with the freckling fingers. The young man honestly didn't know why she was having trouble with asking something like that- putting aside the fact that he was technically still her enemy. Or still was. He quickly found a bottle inside his bag and also threw it towards her, which she caught it.

The liquid felt good against her inner throat walls and dry tongue, and to her delight it was actually nice and cold. Just the way she liked it. She drank quickly, almost too quickly.

Itachi's lips formed into a thin line and wanted to say something about it but stopped when he saw her frown. Her lips were slowly removed from the bottle, her eyes looking at him.

"This water tastes… different."

Itachi nodded once before he answered. "It should be. It's from the river. It is clean enough to be used."

"Oh." _So he was gathering water?_

Sakura drank a little slower when the bottle was almost empty. She swallowed a few times testing if her dry throat was still sore, and then she quickly turned her attention to her bread piece.

They sat there both in total silence, except the annoying crickets wouldn't shut up. It was not like someone would start a friendly conversation and pretend they were best friends. It was making the Kunoichi nervous. And it was still unknown what the Uchiha had planned for her.

Chewing slowly on the bread, Sakura noticed that it hasn't got any taste on it. But at least it filled her stomach. Her eyes looked up again, seeing that Itachi had closed his eyes again. The pink haired woman's forehead furrowed when she saw the male breathing hoarsely and difficult.

Sakura began to struggle in her head again. Should she help him or not? Should she leave now or not? Could she escape at all? Analyzing his body's situation, she probably had a chance to escape. But that all changed when she looked at the giant rock that was blocking the entrance. Sakura could easily crush the damn thing if of course she had some strength left in her arms. Which was not the case…

But still… somewhere in her head a little voice screamed at her to stay, warning her that it also was not safe outside their little hideout since they were located on enemy grounds, that she would be safer here than anywhere else for the moment. And her hands also weren't helping her that much. They automatically began to itch while looking at the wounds from the male before her. Like they were telling her to heal him.

She sat there for a while looking at the Uchiha with a blank face while it was chaos inside her head.

_No. Yes. No. Maybe…Hell no! __No…no._

Seconds became minutes. Her bare foot began to tap unconsciously. It went almost silently because of the flat foot but that still didn't mean someone did not hear it.

Slightly annoyed by the repeating sound, Itachi opened his eyes, and it was like he had pushed on the stop button because the tapping immediately stopped. He saw the woman furrowed her brows while he looked at him. After a moment he noticed that she hasn't blinked once. Even when she was looking straight at him Itachi knew now that her eyes weren't really focusing on him. She was thinking. Well more like struggling with herself since her brows furrowed deep.

It was then that she blinked, a sign that she was into reality again but that did not make her frown disappear. She stared at him like she was trying to read him… Somehow it irked him. The Uchiha didn't like it when people stare at him. Staring the way that young female did was very impolite but it almost seemed that she did it on purpose. Like she was testing him.

She didn't stop.

The Sharigan wielder narrowed his eyes at her and to his surprise she did the same.

So there they were. Glaring at each other like it was a contest. Both had their own reason but they didn't know each other's. Somehow it didn't make sense.

Sakura showed no sign of fear, even when his glaring eyes were much more imitating than her own. Itachi on the other hand showed no sign of stopping. It was almost being childish. It became more like; _you started it so I'm finishing it._

One second was almost like one hour. Then Sakura gave up with a loud and shaky sigh. Seconds later she fisted her small hands. "Ugh! Fine, I will!"

If Itachi was surprise by her sudden outburst he didn't show it on his face. But what he did was raise an eyebrow in question.

"You will _what_?" He asked in a bored tone.

"…Uh?" Sakura looked up meeting his eyes. Cheeks turned red. "Oh… well I mean," She let her head hung. She was so into the conversation that played in her head that she didn't even notice that she spoke out loud. _How embarrassing._ "Never mind…"

Itachi shrugged uncaring, closing his eyes. The clear air outside did him well but not enough to get rid of his headache. Before he walked to the peaceful current, he concentrated on his surroundings. It took him more time than it normal would. It bothered him feeling this weak. The medication also didn't his work like it used to do. The effect lessened time after time. His body was getting immune of the drug. It would not take long before his body will reject the medication. And then he will really have a problem.

"Let me heal you."

Eyes slowly opened again, his full attention on the woman before him who had a determined expression on her face.

Sakura didn't even wait for an answer. She slowly pushed herself up and almost threatens to fall again, but she quickly leaned her shoulders on the hard rock behind her. Inwardly she cursed when her butt felt like freezing cold like the ground. Knees buckled and hands were shaking lightly.

The Uchiha really doubted that she could even walk.

"Sit down."

"No."

"You will fall."

Sakura huffed. "I will not."

Itachi ignored her answer. "…Do not except me to aid you again if that happens."

It became quiet then. Sakura tried to ignore the male's intense stare and his arrogance and tried to concentrate on moving her toes first, next one leg. A small smile tugged her shaking lips when she could feel her blood floated towards her toes giving them more warmth. But not only that, she felt much better when she felt her chakra slowly coming back. Look what a piece of bread and some water already did to her body.

Itachi observed her closely. Finding it strange to see her smiling when she actually looked like a mess. He noticed that she found it sort of fascinating seeing her legs move slowly or more like she was really proud of herself for accomplishing that. Then her hands curled into a small fists, she uncurled them and then repeated the action all over again.

When the pink haired medic was ready with her actions she pushed herself from the wall and walked to the other side.

"You still haven't recovered by one bit since last night. You are going to die if you won't get your wounds checked."

Itachi closed his eyes. "It does not matter if I die."

Sakura abruptly stopped her track, looking stunned and confused. Never would she expect him to say _that._ The pink haired woman studied him, trying to find out if he wasn't fooling her, but his face remained blank like always and his eyes closed- not even bothering to explain himself.

It really sounded so sad, even when his voice was plain when he spoke those words. The medic guessed this man really thought that Shinobis were only tools to be used. And when they weren't useful anymore... well most Shinobis actually thought like this. But Sakura... never thought like that. It disgusted her by the thought that she would see Naruto only as a tool as all of her loved ones. She wouldn't, and will never do that.

Sakura looked at him and was still loss for words. "That's… uh,"

It took a moment before she found her tongue.

"…well do not expect that I will fight alone against all those hunter nin out there." She tsk softly. "Oh no this is all your fault in the first place! You got me into this mess and you're getting me out of it!" It popped out just like that. The frustration of her current situation was making her straight forward and totally forgot who sat actually before her.

"W-well… what I actually mean is," She said with an uncertain voice.

Itachi looked up with a deep frown on his face, eyeing her suspiciously. "Are you trying to find an excuse to get me healed?"

Sakura just gaped at him, then she closed her mouth. She thought for a second.

"…No." Sakura said softly, not looking at him. Her legs were moving again. She slowly kneeled before him trying to find a comfortable sitting position. Then she turned her attention to his chest, hands slowly rising. Her hands already felt his heat but stopped before she cold touch him because of a voice.

"Kohona will acknowledge this as treachery."

She stilled.

Itachi gave her a moment to think before he continued. "Are you sure you still want to heal me?"

There was a minute of silence. "…Kohona will just have to accept the fact that this was the only way to also save my own life."

"By saving me?"

She nodded, still looking at his bloody chest.

"I'm flattered."

This time she instantly looked up at him, face slightly flushed from anger. "T-that's not what I mean! Y-you know… with all those hunter nins outside, and the village probably want you alive and all…"

"Ah, naturally." He said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Oh, shut up." She muttered through her teeth.

A pause. Sakura was even starting to regret her decision. Who would have helped this asshole anyway?

"It is still a poor excuse." Itachi said with a hint of amusement in his rich yet hoarse voice.

Eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to get killed?" The young female asked sarcastically but still serious. She was really losing her patience around this guy. "Because I could help you with that!"

His lips tugged into a small smirk "Hn. Tempting."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him. She hated it when she was made fun off. "Ugh! You! You,"

_He was teasing her! Teasing for god sakes! Who could have thought that Uchiha Itachi teased?_

Itachi ignored her outburst. "I'm officially at a loss here. First you want to heal me then you threaten to kill me."

The Kunoichi growled at him. But then again Itachi paid no attention to that. If Sakura had more strength left in her hands she would have sworn she would strangle the male before her. How dare he!? That arrogant bastard! Treating her like an unknowing child. She should just-

Itachi began to cough horribly.

He immediately turned away from her, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. To Sakura's ears it sounded like someone was about to cough his lungs out. Her hands reached out to him only to be slapped away with Itachi's free hand.

"Let me help." Sakura said sternly.

It took a while before the coughing stopped. Perspiration was clearly to be seen on his face. His breathing increased yet his face was becoming paler by the minute. Eyelids threatened to fall and his hair bangs clung to his face. Exhausted by his heavy cough moment, he sighed, relieved it was over.

His head turned towards her. "No."

"Don't be so stubborn Uchiha. If it wasn't for me you already had choked to death." Her head turned downwards. Itachi followed her and saw that she had placed her small hands unnoticeably on his chest. The green glow from her healing chakra turned him into silence. Confused that he hadn't even noticed the woman placing her hands on his chest nor did he felt them. She was a sneaky one all right.

The glow was small but it was warm and quite pleasing. This time Itachi made no movement to reject her help. But he couldn't help thinking that she was actually the stubborn one.

"Medic, you are much too weak to heal. This will have consequences on your own body"

"How nice of you to be worried about me," she said without looking away from the wound.

Itachi frowned.

"And I'm not weak." She grunted, knowing it almost sounded childish but she was tired of hearing people saying that to her. Only Naruto could call her weak and that was because he never meant it anyway. Then Sakura would give him a nice hard punch and then she would feel better. She inwardly snickered. Oh yeah those moments were really precious and not to mention hilarious.

The raven-haired said nothing in return. Instead he eyed the female kneeling before him still concentrating on her work. Uchiha Itachi was known by killing his own clan, his family.

Traitor to Kohona.

Torturing his little brother.

Being an emotionless bloodthirsty murderer and yet there she sat.

His little brother's teammate and friend was aiding him like he was just a normal patient. He even wondered why she had survived this long and he did not understand her high reputation as the slug tamer's apprentice. Itachi never fought against her but she was known for a brutal strength. She had such fearful power yet she was so gently and caring. The combination just didn't fit.

He mentally snorted. She was just so naïve.

With one quick movement Itachi hand pulled something out of his bag, and before Sakura could know what it was or even react at all, he already held it against her pale throat.

It was a sharp object. A Kunai.

Itachi lowered his head, close enough for her to feel his warm breath against her ear. "Foolish Kunoichi. Aiding an enemy who is a traitor from your village is not one of the smartest things to do. I already could have killed you." He whispered.

Sakura stopped with the healing and breathing. The warm glow disappeared and her head turned up to look at him, with eyes slightly narrowed.

"But you didn't." She said in a low shaky voice.

"I still could."

"But you won't."

"Is that a challenge girl?" His voice threatening.

Sakura backed away and swallowed when hearing his voice rise like that. She guessed Uchiha Itachi didn't like to be fooled with. "You already could have killed me back then. So why now? You need me for something."

"Don't think so highly of yourself." He mocked.

"I won't be you." She spat.

Dark eyes burned with the result that the kunai pressed harder against her skin, leaving a small cut but that didn't meant that it did not stung. The young woman flinched.

"Watch your tongue medic. Do not forget who I am." Voice as serious like a warning.

Sakura took a deep breath and tried to swallow. She was sort of shocked that this man, who once aided her gently, could suddenly change into this heartless bastard. It somewhat hurt her in which she didn't know the reason. Maybe she hoped that there was more about him than his way to power. But it was to be expected after hearing all what the bastard had done.

"I won't," She weakly whispered back.

It almost surprised Itachi that she saw her eyes soften, like there was sadness in them instead of fear. Her hands came up and placed them gently on his chest again.

"Now let me do my work." She added softly lowering her head again covering her eyes with her hair. She gently forced chakra into him. It was a weak glow but it would do for now.

Itachi narrowed his eyes. She was indeed weak to his eyes. Still caring, still foolish. If he were a Mist ninja he would already cut her smooth throat. It somehow irked him that she still hadn't learned of his warning. She should be healing herself and retreat to her home. She should not care about him, no one should. He didn't deserve it.

He watched as the Kunoichi continued her work with half lidded eyes, voice soft. "Foolish girl."

The response came seconds later. "…I know." She whispered.

* * *

"You bastard! This is all your fault Sai!" The young blond male snapped, fists clutching tightly at the collar from his teammate. His blue eyes threaten to turn into blood red ones.

"Naruto, calm yourself. This isn't going to help Sakura." His gray haired Sensei said sternly. He was also in shock when he heard of the disappearance of his beloved student. It was not expected. A sigh left his lips, head turned towards the Hokage behind the desk, who watched with concerned eyes to the pile of paper before her, hand place on her forehead so she could lean her head. Tsunade and Shizune had just heard the news and then it became suddenly quiet. Then of course Naruto busted out and attacked Sai, and that is where they were now. Sai was the last person who had seen Sakura taken away by the Kiri Nukenin called Kisame. He also saw Sasuke and Kisame's partner, Uchiha Itachi.

Sai reported to his team leader Kakashi that the older Uchiha was badly wounded and also had been taken away. But the younger Uchiha... He was furious. Hate and frustration was the only thing he could read from his face. After the departure from Sakura, Sasuke turned to Sai, only to send him a deadly glare, and disappeared out of sight.

Kakashi felt nothing but guilt now. First he failed to protect Sasuke and now Sakura. But it was nothing compared what Naruto felt. His best friend left him for power and revenge and now Sakura was gone. It was extremely difficult to drag Naruto back since he immediately or more like desperately wanted to find her, save her.

In the end Kakashi had to use the Sharigan on him. When the blond woke up he even almost attack him, for leaving Sakura like that, if Sai hadn't stop him. Kakashi tried to explain to Naruto that it was no use 'cause they had no idea where the Akatsuki would take her or where they were at all.

Kakashi used his Nin dogs but explained that the rain washed all kinds of tracks away. After seeing Sasuke disappear, Sai wasted no time to find the rest of the team. It started to rain and the worst thing is that it took awhile until his radio finally picked up a signal. When he found Kakashi it only began to pour harder. His Nin dogs tried hard but the trail got lost somewhere in a forest,

They all knew she was alive. She must be. But they still feared for her life because the Akatsuki wasn't one friendly organization. For the first time, Sai felt guilty, and couldn't agree better on Naruto's next words.

"You left Sakura-chan in the first place! What kind of a teammate are you!?"

"..."

Naruto growled angrily. "Say something you Bastard or I-"

With one quick swift Tsunade shoved all the papers from her desk, stood up and slammed her palms on her desk making the room shake. "That's enough!" The woman yelled. "Shut up!!" Brown eyes filled with different kinds of emotions. The boy was getting on her nerves.

Naruto refused. "But ba-chan he-"

"Naruto I said shut up! Or else I let the Anbu drag you out!"

That made him shut up. Shizune gathered the scattered papers one by one with a concerned face herself. She hadn't spoken since she heard the news. This was hitting her also deep.

The blond Hokage slowly let herself slide into her chair again. "How can this happen?" She said to herself, hand clutching her hair. "We were not informed here that Akatsuki was around that area. What the hell would they do there!?"

"Yeah! That is what I like to know!" Naruto shouted, earning a glare from Kakashi, telling him to shut up before the woman lost her temper again. But Tsunade continued like Naruto's outburst didn't happen.

"Why did they take Sakura? Weren't they after Naruto? What the hell was Sakura doing there anyway? She's smart enough to understand that she was not to come close to an Akatsuki member without reporting it first... Or at least get back up."

It was quiet for a moment, leaving everyone in their own thought. The tension became almost unbearable for Naruto. He didn't like standing here doing nothing. For god sake he already could have saved Sakura if Kakashi didn't use his darn Sharigan on him! He glanced at Sai, eyes full of anger. _And you just let that bastard take her!_

"Sai, are you sure about seeing Sakura kneeling before_ that_ man."

The black haired man nodded. "Yes Hokage-sama."

She bit on the nail of her thumb. "And are you one hundred percent sure that you saw her healing _him_?"

It abruptly became quiet in the room.

Naruto 's eyes were full of disbelieve. "_What_!? No one had informed me about that!" He looked quickly at Kakashi who purposely didn't return his gaze. "You knew!?" He roared. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Naruto..." Kakashi started with a sigh. He already knew that Naruto would overreact if he knew that piece of information. So he left that out, hoping that Tsunade-sama would not mention it. Guess he had bad luck.

Naruto pointed an accusing finger at him. "You did! And you didn't even tell me." His head turned to Sai and to Kakashi again. "First Sai and now you! What kind of a leader are you?!"

"_Naruto_." Tsunade warned. "Later. Sai continue."

Sai thought back. "Yes. I could see her healing chakra glowing from her hands, which were placed on his chest. I only saw it a second though, but it was enough for me to know what she was doing."

"_Bullshit!_ Sakura-chan would never heal that bastard! She'd rather die!"

"Naruto one word and you're out!!"

The Kyuubi host gritted his teeth.

Tsunade looked at Sai while she spoke. "Is there a possibility that Sakura was aiding him for we do not know the reason yet- is it possible that she was forced?"

This time Sai shook his head. "Most likely not. The Kiri Nin wasn't around by that time. I also could read from her face that she was as much surprised as I was by his sudden appearance. And Uchiha Itachi couldn't possibly force her since she had the upper hand."

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Naruto said, more calmly this time.

"It is what I saw." Sai said plainly against Naruto.

Eyes narrowed dangerously. "Then you are a liar!"

"I am not." Sai countered.

"Stop it! The both of you!" Tsunade growled. "Kakashi, escort Sai out of the room. _Now_."

Kakashi bowed once and Sai did the same. "Come on Sai." He placed a hand on his shoulder and eyed Naruto for a second before leaving the room. Naruto's eyes followed them. When he heard the door close with a click his head turned to the Hokage.

They eyed each other for a moment and then Tsunade spoke calm and slow. "Naruto,"

"We will get Sakura-chan back right?"

She nodded eyes glinted with determination. "Yes we will."

"Then send me out now! I can do it! Then I will-"

A small smile but that quickly changed to a sad one. "I know you would Naruto, but I cannot let you leave Kohona."

The young male's eyes widened. "_What?_ You don't mean that right?"

She sighed. "It will not take long before the two elders hear from this Naruto. You were in close reach for the Akatsuki's. You could have been captured. And like I said before, we also weren't prepared that Akatsuki was around. If those two goats hear about how careless our actions were they probably would suspend you for quite some time."

"What!? But that wasn't my fault! And who's going to rescue Sakura-chan eh!? This is insane! I have to go!"

"I'm sorry Naruto. You can not." She said with sadness in her eyes. "I will immediately gather a search party to get her back in one piece. I promise you." It was strange that Naruto would have said those promising words and now Tsunade felt like she was ripping away his words. It sounded stupid because she had to stay here on her butt while Naruto wouldn't have doubt a second and search for Sakura. She placed her promise on others who would search for her instead of act on her own like Naruto would. Even titled as Hokage it made her felt powerless.

Sakura was a wonderful apprentice and a great Kunoichi. The proud flower of Kohona. It would be a great loss if that flower suddenly stopped blooming. Everyone in Kohona acknowledged her and her strength, but she couldn't see that. She always feared that she wouldn't catch up with Naruto and Sasuke.

Everyone had their own strengths and weaknesses. But many always noticed their weaknesses instead of their strengths. Like it or not she knew that Sakura always focused a bit more on her weaknessws, making her feel small and useless. She couldn't see how smart and strong she was. It bothered Tsunade so much turning training that she purposely was making it harder for her to make her see what she all could accomplish with her will of learning and gaining experience.

Naruto's hand curled into a tight fists, his nails cutting his skin in progress. Blood dripped from his hands. "Tsunade-sama..." He managed to say through his teeth.

The blond woman instantly widened her eyes by hearing his broken yet threatening voice. But what shocked her more is that this was the first time he called her by her name instead of 'ba-chan'.

His chin touched his chest, eyes not to be seen. "Then I'll promise you now, I will never forgive you or those two old bags if this go wrong." With that he turned and quickly left the room in a quick pace.

Shizune almost lets the papers fall she once gathered and gaped with disbelief. "N-Naruto!"

He ignored her and slammed the door open, bumping into someone's shoulder, but didn't even bother to look who it was. Running, he left the building.

Kakashi rubbed his shoulder while watching Naruto ran out. His eyes saddened at the sight. He stood there for a while, in front of the opening from the Hokage's office, before his gazed turned to Tsunade, who didn't return it. She gazed almost lifeless at her desk.

Kakashi made his move to enter the room again. "He does not mean that." He said softly.

The blond woman closed her eyes, hiding the sadness in her eyes. "Hm. I know."

* * *

A few raindrops softly landed on his hair and seconds later it started to pour. His dark eyes watched into the distance, watched how mist appeared and how everything changed into a raw and sad view. The city before him glowed in many colors, but it still looked sad. No one walked down the small streets of the Rain country. His attention turned to a laughing child who was jumping on every pool she could find. It didn't take long before her mother grabbed her by her arm and dragged her inside, earning a high whine from her daughter.

He stood on the highest peak, from a never finished pipe line, of the city.

It has been a few days since he last saw his brother. It has been a few days since his life dramatically has changed, since he gained another vision of his former village Kohona. It has been a few days since he finally woke up in a dark place where this person called Madara took him. It was also a big surprise that the man was also an Uchiha.

But it was almost harder to believe what that man had told him.

His older brother massacred his own clan...

_in order to protect Kohona._

_He did it for Kohona. His village. Their village. Their birthplace. Their home._

But he failed at one thing, killing his own younger brother. Uchiha Sasuke. Because he loved his brother more than the village. Sasuke was young and one hundred percent innocent at that time. He didn't know anything of the terrible plans that the Uchiha clan had in mind. Back then he was the youngest of all the Uchiha's.

The other kids were strange enough _all _five years older, like his brother. He never thought of it but it was quite suspicious that they were all born in the same year like his Aniki.

Like they decided to impregnate all the woman in the clan. Somehow it turned his stomach thinking about it. Sickening was the word for it- women who bear children for only one purpose, breeding an army and training them too eliminate the people from Kohona or anybody who would stand in their way and start over, with them on the highest mountain.

Sasuke closed his eyes while raindrops slowly dripped from his jawline. Like it all went in slow motion.

Itachi always had been number one. Always better, smarter, faster and stronger in many ways. Making him Anbu captain. Something that the Senju clan never had allowed before. Nevertheless, it was something that was considered a great honor as it was a great burden. Uchiha Itachi actually never wanted that from the very beginning. It only meant more killing and torture, more suffering and more nightmares. But being part of the Uchiha clan, it was hard to decline such an offer because the Uchiha Prodigy didn't make the decisions. The elders from their clan did, including his father. His mother was always beside his father, agreeing in everything that he or the council decided, like she was a doll.

In other words just like Itachi, all the younglings who were born in the same year as his Aniki knew what the clan was planning, starting a war. They were born for that purpose. The reason of their existence. It was sad... _So sad_.

And Itachi was the only one who silently didn't agree. He hated war. Traumatized by watching the third ninja war with his four-year-old eyes. People suffered, tortured and died or were murdered before his eyes. Changing him into a not talkative child and grew up at a very young age, making him hate his own clan with their insane ideas towards power. Knowing that he never could persuade his clan in stopping this insanity. Knowing he was the only one who could see the madness in their plans. Knowing that his little brother was waiting the same fate. Knowing that he stood alone.

Completely utterly _alone._

Sasuke actually didn't know anything of his Aniki. Always kept in the shadows. Not knowing what the Uchiha clan truly was and what they stood for. Just the way Itachi wanted.

_But that was not going to happen. _

Sasuke clutched his hand into fist. Eyes changed into red ones. _Sharigan._ Anger raised in him just by thinking of the persons who did this to his Aniki, who did this to him. _Danzo...Those two elders and the Third Hokage_. The third was already dead and that left those other three. He would find them... He would hunt them down, he would burn them, make them regret and make them suffer just the way he and his brother did, but... that would have to wait.

He took a deep breath. His Sharingan deactivated, eyes trailed down to the object that lay on his hand. The young Uchiha raised his hand, which contained the object and studied it closely. It was a piece of red cloth. He opened his hand more to reveal a metal plate,

with the symbol of Leaf imprinted in it.

It was Sakura's.

_To be continued._

* * *

**A/N**

-Before you all ask questions: yes, it will all be explained how Sasuke has Sakura's headband and how he ended up in Rain (City) and more of his intentions.

-A little spoiler here: just so you know Sasuke isn't going to choose the path like in the manga.

_Thank you for reading! Hope you liked it._

M00nlight


	3. Chapter 3

**Author: **M00nlight Shadow

**Characters/Pairing: **Itachi x Sakura  
**Genre:** Romance/Angst  
**Rating: **M  
**Disclaimer:** Naruto belongs to Kishimoto  
**Beta:** Skye-sama

**Summary:** Sakura thought she was going home… but she wasn't going to anytime soon. With many lies and changes up ahead she was beginning to understand there wasn't going to be a happy ending. But Uchiha Itachi… knew it all along.

* * *

**Pieces of a broken mirror**

**Chapter 3 – Nightmare**

* * *

It didn't stop raining. And it didn't look like it wouldn't stop anytime soon. The raven haired man was as close at being soaked. Still, he gazed before him. Some lights already have turned off making the mist swallow the city almost immediately. The sun slowly disappeared below the horizon. It didn't take long before the last glow of red disappeared together with the sun, leaving him and the city in darkness. Next thing he heard was thunder, first almost unnoticeable then louder and louder. But the youngest Uchiha didn't move, didn't even move one millimeter. That changed when he heard someone call his name.

"Sasuke."

His half lidded eyes lifted up a bit, head turned a little and looked down. Dark onyx eyes saw the man, who told him all about the shocking truth, standing beneath him. This man told him a story that changed his life. And he knew that he told the truth. He knew. From the beginning, until the end. This whole thing started with the Third Shinobi War. It was already at that time that the suffering of Uchiha Itachi began, seeing all the horrors with his young eyes. Then a fight between two powerful clans: the Senju- and the Uchiha clan occurred. Next the alliance between the two clans took place and the village named Konohagakure was born. Not long after that the fight between the two leader for the Hokage seat. The betrayal of the leader of the Uchiha. Kyuubi's attack. The suspicion of the Uchiha clan. And after that the secret spying mission of Itachi began. And Uchiha Itachi discovered that the Uchiha clan, his familie, his own flesh and blood were planning a coup d'etat... In his own beloved village.

After that...

_The massacre... took place. _Everything made perfectly sense. But to think that his brother suffered so long, under his very own nose... It sickening him.

Yet there was another 'thing' Madara told him not long ago.

His mind though back at the moment when Uchiha Madara told him something entirely different beside Itachi's past.

_--Earlier--_

The dim lights gave the room a creepy touch. It almost was like you slept in a dungeon. You could hear the rain outside. It was the only thing the young man heard while sitting against the wall. He woke up here after he fainted from blood lost after his fierce battle with his brother. After that he heard the truth about his brother and his clan. Madara left him then, giving him time to think.

After an hour or so, he heard footsteps that were slowly making its way towards his room. It stopped when the visitor was at the door. He heard two knocks, yet Sasuke said nothing, knowing that the person would come in anyway.

The door cracked open, and like he expected, Uchiha Madara revealed himself in his usual dark cloak which was soaked wet. He entered the room and closed the door behind him after that he spoke, "_Itachi's dead."_ Madara said with no hesitation in a calm yet cold voice. "I am sorry."

Sasuke, who was busy with aiding his wounds, completely stilled. His eyes, which were looking at his hand, widened. Even his breath stopped for a moment. This was not to be expected.

It was quiet for a while before the older Uchiha continued. "He was killed by Mist nin while he was recovering from his injuries in one of our hideouts. He had no chance." Another silence. "Kisame, could escape just in time."

Sasuke slowly raised his head, eyes narrowed dangerously and blood red. "Why would I give a fuck about that Kiri bastard." He hissed.

Madara ignored him. "And there is another thing." He plainly said. "Another who seemed to accompany him has also found dead."

Sasuke furrowed his forehead, already thinking of a person who it might be. His eyes slowly looked up, seeing the old man standing two feet away from him. He was holding something. It looked like a piece of cloth, red cloth.

"I have been told that Kisame brought another 'leaf' too the hideout. He also informed me that she was a medic and a very well-known one..."

The man eyed Itachi's younger brother for a moment. Their eyes met. Then Madara threw him the object he was holding. Sasuke raised one hand and catches it. He slowly turns his hand around to see what it was. The warm light that came from the torches reflected on the metal plate, which had a leaf symbol on it, red cloth and the leaf symbol.

It was clearly obvious now. There was only one leaf shinobi who had a red cloth with the leaf symbol. This headband belonged from Sakura.

"Think about my offer Sasuke." The man suddenly said.

The younger Uchiha was silent. His eyes still fixed on the headband that lay loosely in his hand.

Still no answer. Madara once told him so much in such little time and now again he received some information that didn't fall well for him. He almost pitied him._ Almost. _Losing again so much in such little time...

So Madara decided it was enough for now and turned around to leave him alone to think. It was then that Sasuke spoke.

"Fine."

The older man turned around, seeing him tightly clutching his hand around the headband. The eye behind the mask narrowed slightly.

"_Good._"

With that last word he left the room and closed the door behind him.

Sasuke instantly activated his Sharigan by thinking of the words Madara just spoke. His body was burning of anger. His knuckled turned white, eyes narrowed.

_Lies._

It were all lies.

His unoccupied hand smashed on the ground, hearing the ground crack. His skin opened and blood dripped on the floor, but he didn't even notice. Uchiha Madara lied about his brother and lied about Sakura. He refused to believe it. He and his brother had always lived in a lie. The Uchiha was having problems with trusting anyone right now, especially that man. If it wasn't for him he never had known the truth. But still this person was the man who forced his brother to be at his side, making him do his dirty work. It disgusts him so bad…

Besides he saw it with his own eyes. Sakura was healing him back then. He didn't know the reason but that didn't matter anymore. He was furious at first but now he was... grateful. Grateful to Sakura.

_Sakura. _

He closed his eyes. There didn't pass a day by without thinking about team seven. The dobe of a Naruto, always annoyingly cheerful and yet so determined as he was a friend. The one who almost beaten his ass back to Konoha. He snorted at the thought. The one he looked as a rival. And he would never say it aloud but he was certainly a worthy opponent.

And Sakura... The girl who confessedes her love to him so many years ago, but still not forgotten. Sakura, the girl who was at the beginning so annoying and so judging, turned out at the last moment to be a person who really understood him from the inside and was afraid he would turn into a broken and hateful person if he would leave them to go towards Orochimaru. She was afraid to break her heart, to lose her friend, teammate and family. She was scared that her beloved team would fall apart. The place that gave her the feeling of home, like he also thought of it. Like Naruto would also have thought.

Yet he had no regret leaving them. He had become strong indeed that he most likely wouldn't if he stayed in Kohona. And now... He actually wished, only when it was a little bit, that he didn't leave. But his hate was strong at that time, hate only directed at his brother and his weakness. Back then, since he left Sakura on the cold bench, his hate had grew enormous and Sakura was that night in the way when he was about the past the village's gates. But he just couldn't hurt her physical even when he had so much hate in him at that time.

And now… If it wasn't for her, Itachi would be dead like Uchiha Madara said.

It was such a coincidence. Madara knew everything about Itachi. He knew his past, his goal, his weaknesses. All of it. Knowing that he loved his village and would never work together with him for his goal to destroy Kohona.

And today, all of a sudden, he came to him and told him Itachi was dead in a rather careless voice, like he was one of his tools anyway, ready to be replaced. But Sasuke didn't buy it. He would never trust that man.

He knew they were alive. They 'are' alive. And he will find them. He will.

---

Uchiha Madara still wore his usual orange one-eyed mask. The hood from his cloak preventing his head or rather the mask to get wet. The shadow from the dark hood covered the eye opening. To Sasuke it almost looked like he was staring at a soulless person. The older man crossed his arms and waited a few seconds. When he waited long enough, not actually caring if the young man above would answer, he decided to speak again.

"It is time Sasuke."

The younger Uchiha stared blankly at him.

"It is time to capture the eight tails."

* * *

_He was running. Running like he had never had run. Running in great speed. But it was not because he was scared, not because he had a place somewhere to go. He was running because his legs moved on his own. He didn't know why, he didn't know how, and he didn't know how it all started. All he knew was that someone was following him, haunting him. He could hear him. Or more like hear it. Hear it right behind him. Almost like it was breathing in his ear._

_The sound of the passing leafs made all other sounds of the forest vague. _

_He was panting lightly, but wasn't actually feeling tired. He felt more like he was completely alone, alone in this dark and unknown forest. He tried to look what was ahead but his sight was vague, the sky was red and the ground was black. The path in which he runs was narrow, and he quickly discovered that there were no side paths or any other roads at all. One road one way._

_There was no way out. But he was running so long. So long. It seemed like the dark path was eternal. But he would not stop. He wouldn't give up. _

_But it took so long... _

_All of a sudden his legs were slowing down. His heartbeat began to increase loudly, getting louder and louder. His persuader began to growl low. But he didn't stop. He held it for so long. If he stopped now, it would be all for nothing. All his running would have been for nothing. _

_He closed his eyes, hoping it would disappear. _

_Next, and totally unexpected, he heard a screeching that almost wanted to cover his ears. Almost. That thing was so close, so close. He felt that a dark hand was reaching for his shoulder. He didn't see it, but somehow he just knew it was a hand. And slowly, very slowly it came closer and closer. His lips tasted blood. He smelt blood..._

_His sight became clearer and saw bodies in the distance. Bodies lying forgotten besides the road… _

_He saw dead bodies as a normal thing but this… this was different. This was wrong. This wasn't right. All those bodies. There was so many, so many killed. It looked like a massacre…No… it looked liked a war took place here. _

_He hated war…_

_The smell of blood and rotten flesh was getting too much. Then suddenly his Sharigan was activated. He didn't know how but his eyes slightly turned to the bodies lying beside the road, like his eyes wanted to see this._

_His Sharigan was letting him see it all very, very clearly. Slowly… his eyes widened. He recognizeds all of them. Al those bodies. Those were the people he had killed...murdered. The ones he had to kill on his missions, he had killed when he was still a member of the Akatsuki and… his clan…_

_Itachi watch in horror when he noticed that all of their eyes where open, mouths open like they wanted to scream. They were lying on their stomach, faces turned to his direction. All those eyes were watching him, cursing him silently. Judging him for what he is, a murderer, _

…_a monster._

_Then the thing behind him began to screech again in a terrified and painful way. Very... _

_very loud._

His eyes instantly opened, gasping for air, his breathing was irregular. His head was pouncing like hell and he was sweating. A droplet felt from his jaw line. He raised a hand and placed it on his forehead, eyes closing again. It took him a while before his heart was beating normal. Most of the time he only had nightmares since the Uchiha massacre, but unlike the others he founded this one bothersome... it didn't suit him. Never before he had to run away from someone or something that... He even couldn't find the word for it.

After a minute or two, Itachi lowered his hand and slowly looked around, his sight as vague as in his dream or rather... nightmare. There was a small fire that no doubt the Kunoichi had made. It was weak and it barely lightens up their surroundings. The Uchiha also became aware that it had turned dark while he was asleep. He turned his head to his right, and to his surprise he found the pink haired Kunoichi not sitting far next to him, her eyes open, looking at him.

They kept staring at each other.

Itachi guessed he had fallening into sleep while she tried to heal his most critical wound. He didn't have to look at his chest to see her aiding had helped. He already felt it, but for a bitter price. The medic herself didn't look any better than she did before. Blue circles were to be seen beneath her tired eyes, darker than before. Hasn't she got any sleep at all? The young man also observed that she looked even paler. The light of the weak flames was making her look like a lifeless doll. Small hands clutched at the collar of her cloak, trying to keep herself warm.

He really didn't like the image. It irked him that she still looked at him with_ those_ eyes. She was a foolish woman. She really was.

"Are you... okay?" Her voice was almost as a whisper. It was like she had almost no strength in saying those few words.

The young woman closed her eyes when she suddenly felt cold air slipping through the small openings of their entrance, and shuttered lightly. The little flames threaten to disappear.

Itachi nodded weakly. The evidence in his voice was clear that he just woke up. "Better." He said briefly in a low husky voice.

She gave him a short nod in return. "Good."

_Silence._

"Did you have a bad dream?"

He didn't answer.

"You were groaning most of the time."

Still no answer, but his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Are you in pain?"

"_Kunoichi._"

"What?" She said soft.

"Didn't I tell you to rest?" He sort of growled out that part.

Sakura furrowed her brows and glared at the man, but Itachi didn't even look at the woman. She guessed that he was someone who woke up with a bad temper. She sighed in defeat and shuttered again. She was not in for a fierce conversation with him. Besides... she was still exhausted. Her head still hurts and her limps were sore and the cold was making it worse. Still, she was already glad that her healing chakra had helped.

The Kunoichi looked at the pathetic fire she made. The little pile of wood that Itachi placed on the rough ground was getting smaller. The fire was eating the little sticks in such short time. She wished they had thicker ones. But they were to damp to be used.

While Itachi was sleeping, the sun slowly had disappeared and the sky turned dark. Not long after it started to rain again. The sound of rain only saddened her for some reason. She wasn't used of this kind of weather. Always cold and most of the time rain.

And just like that their little fire was blown out.

Sakura instantly noticed that darkness crept inside the cave. The young woman quickly diminished her head down, covering herself for the freezing wind. She slowly looked up like she was afraid another blow would come. Sakura's eyes widened slightly while her eyes were trying to find the spot where the fire once was. She cursed inwardly.

She bowed forwards and began to crawl towards the spot she last seen the last remaining wooden sticks. There was no use in getting up because she knew that they lay close and it only cost her more energy if she stood up.

She couldn't see a thing! If she wasn't this tired she would have swear out loud.

Her hand reached into the darkness. Every time her hand touched the ground it seemed to burn. She wanted to growl in frustration when her hand still hadn't found something. But instead of her hand, another hand found what it was looking for.

Sakura gasped when she felt a large hand grab her small wrist, and yelped when it pulled her back.

She panicked. "H-hey! Wha-"

"It's meaningless to create a fire now." He said while pulling her towards him.

Sakura struggled weakly but that didn't help. Occurring to her the Uchiha was in a worse state then herself, and still he had more strength in his arm then her. It defiantly was not fair. The young woman didn't like it when she was surrounded by darkness and the thought of a man, who was known as a mass murderer, who pulled her to god knows were. This did _not_ suit her well.

When she felt heat closing her in she started to suspect his intentions. _His body_ heat.

With one last tuck, she yelped again and felled against him with a soft thud. She immediately and completely stilled against him. He also made no movement. Her eyes wide. One small hand on his shoulder, while the other one, which the man was still holding, placed on his chest. Lucky for him it was placed under the wound.

They sat there for a while. Sakura then decided to talk. "Let go." The Kunoichi said serious while she tried to free her wrist, unfortunately without success. But the medic didn't stop trying. She wouldn't give up that fast. _That arrogant bastard!_

"No."

Sakura flinched. She was too busy getting her wrist lose that she almost forgot that he was so close. _To close_ for her taste! She used the hand on his shoulder to lever herself away from him, even if it wasn't much she had to breath normally. But his other hand automatically caught her other wrist and pulled her back.

The young woman gritted her teeth in anger. "I said-"

"You will freeze to death."

Once again she flinched at his closeness. She could feel his warm breath on her neck. His heat surrounded her again and she suddenly felt drowsy. She wouldn't lie that his warmth wasn't unwelcome. Believe her she would jump into everyone, even Lee, to gain some heat, everyone but not Itachi Uchiha. Not the man who destroyed Sasuke's life!

_Yet_ saved her life... for some reason.

She used her last strength in her arms to pull herself away from the man. But Itachi's grip tighteneds, not letting go and tugged her back. Sakura panted from the sudden strain she asked from her already weaken arms. Her sight began to get used to the darkness. She was beginning to see the shape of his face more clearly now.

She looked at the spot where his eyes should be. "I'll rather freeze to death then-" But Sakura didn't finished her sentence

His face suddenly came a bit closer. It wasn't much since they already were close but that did not meant Sakura didn't feel comfortable with it. Here she sat on her knees, between the legs of a mass murderer who she had spat on, yelled to and just wouldn't let her loose _and_ she had no strength to fight or escape. Only him and herself. In total darkness. Hell, she didn't feel comfortable at all!

"So you prefer death?" His voice was low and soft.

It still surprised Sakura why he always could be so calm, even when she yelled at him. It seemed it never mattered to him. Always calm and collected. The leaf medic knew she was being stubborn and that she most likely would freeze to death. Not that she was sure about it, but the risk was big. This was like a one big annoying test. Sakura also knew that there was a chance that she would never see her team or Kohona again. The chance only lessened when she would share body heat. Well rather Itachi's body heat, since his temperature was higher than hers at the moment.

She bit on her under lip. "...No." She said in a soft voice.

"Then bear with it."

She wanted to decline again, but her mouth didn't open to protest when she slowly felt her hands and legs warm up. He was so _warm_ but so _close_. It felt so good. Sakura was fighting with herself again. She studied him. His hair, nose and eyes were clearer now. His face was blank but his eyes looked in question at her, waiting for an answer. Uchiha Itachi, known as a dangerous enemy of her village and an enemy of her, was actually waiting patiently for an answer. She really couldn't understand this man. He could be so cold, gentle and yet so mysterious. Her eyes slowly went from his face to her hand that still lay on Itachi's firm shoulder, his hand still around her wrist. She concluded that he wasn't letting her go.

Itachi saw her eyes moving to his shoulder, hands slowly loosen his grip but didn't fully retreat his hands. Making sure she was not about to get away.

And it somewhat astonished him that she didn't struggled or tried to crawl away, as such.

"Fine." She said weakly. "Now please, let me go."

As told, in a rather very polite way in a matter a fact, he lets go. The cold immediately burned on her sensitive skin of her wrist. If she didn't know any better she would guess the temperature dropped again. She lowered her hand from his shoulder, already missing the warmth. Next she took her other hand from his chest.

Sakura lets out a shaky breath before she was about to get up, or more like tried to get up. But again he grabbed one of her wrist by her sudden movement.

"What are you doing?" He questioned while he raised a thin eyebrow.

Sakura looked bewildered. She also raised an eyebrow, which they couldn't clearly see of each other since it was still too dark for it. "Going to sit... _next to you_?" After Sakura said that, she pressed her lips into a line, finding it sort of weird that she actually said that. She was going to sit next to an enemy like it was a daily habit. She never has been in this kind of situation, making it weirder than it already was.

"No."

This time she groaned in frustration. "What now!?" She hissed through her teeth. She really was getting tired of his 'No's'.

"Turn around." He bluntly said all of sudden.

Sakura blinked and was speechless for a moment. "...Uh? _What?_"

Itachi frowned in slight irritation. He didn't like to repeat himself. Painful eyes wanted to rest again as his whole body. As a result of that nightmare he had gain a light headache, making it harder to keep his eyes open and to concentrate. He took a deep breath and was about to speak when he heard the young woman who still sat a few inches apart, beat him.

"You want _me,_ to lie against_ you_?" She asked in disbelief.

If Itachi was a normal man, he would have sighed loudly or groan in irritation, which he did not. The man remained calm as ever as he spoke soft but clear.

"My body temperature is higher than yours is, surely you have noticed that."

Sakura bit in her inner cheek, actually didn't wanted to admit it. "So?"

"Sit next to me and only a small part of you will warm up, which will probably be insufficient. _Lie _against me and your body temperature will eventually return to its ordinary level."

Sakura eyed him suspiciously, even when she still couldn't completely see him. Knowing that he already made his decision, but still had the decency to hear her opinion. Itachi waited patiently while his hand was still around her wrist.

"Why?"

Itachi frowned again.

The young female quickly continued before he would say something, "Why would you care in the first place," She stopped for a second, hesitating to go any further. "if I die or not?"

This time the silence took longer. The rain started to get louder and the cold was getting painful as the silence was... She really hoped that the river wouldn't flood. She wasn't in for a cold swim.

Minutes went by and Itachi still hadn't answered. Sakura started to feel awkward and regretted her words. _Why would he care anyway? _She mentally shook her head. _Foolish, foolish me._ Her main goal was now to get through this damn night. With or without bothersome hindrances.

The young man was actually about to speak, but instantly closed his mouth when he felt her move. And before he knew it, she had turned around in a quick swirl, causing Itachi to let go of her wrist before he would drag with her. It didn't take long before she sat before him. He blinked once when he felt her back against his chest. Leaning more to the right prevent unnecessary pressure on the wound. Sakura tried to find the right sitting position by crooking her legs, putting them close to each other providing more warmth. After that she weakly cradled around finding the right way to lean her shoulder against him without hurting him.

_Without hurting him_. The leaf medic mentally snored. She was going nuts that's for sure...

"Comfortable?" The Uchiha said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Sakura didn't answer immediately. Not even noticing the amusement in his voice. But she actually sat kind of, comfortably. The heat instantly surrounded the petite form and she sighed in delight. She really did not want to admit it, but this was _nice_. _Very nice_. The Kunoichi already felt so much better because she was actually, after Itachi passed out, afraid to sleep herself, afraid that she wouldn't wake up. But now, even when she sat between the legs of a killer and a warm body behind her to heat her up, she felt more at ease to sleep peacefully now, also knowing that Itachi wouldn't kill her, since he even offered his body heat.

"Hm." She approved in on a soft mumble. Her arms brushed against Itachi's when she raised them to place them on her lap. She felt him tense just a little.

"Your body temperature is considerably low." He breathed in her ear.

A shiver run down her spine creating goose bumps on her arms, she instantly backed away by feeling his warm breath on her ear.

"Ha... Sort of." She said with some uncertainty in her voice.

His dark eyes fixed on her hands that where rubbing each other to provide some warmth in them. Her warm and short breath slowly evaporates into the cold air like his own. She sniffed a few times before she lets out a shaky breath again. His own body felt hers shiver. He could feel her temperature rise by a little but it obvious was not enough.

Sakura was taken of guard and gasped when the man behind her abruptly began to move.

"H-hey...?" She stuttered. "W-what are you-"

The man ignored her protests and grabbed, on both sides, his cloak and raised it with a small tuck. The young woman before him had backed away slightly and turned her head halfway, looking confused as uncertain by his action.

"Calm down."

"But wha-"

"This will help." He said briefly.

Then with a swift but elegant movement he covered them both. Besides Itachi's feet, from her feet, till the chest. His cloak was large enough to cover them both. Sakura blinked a few times, staring at the now covered part of her legs and waist.

"Oh." She manages to get out, still looking at the same spot.

Itachi made his next movement. His arm slowly grabbed her around her waist, earning another gasp from her. She tensed when he slowly pulled her back until she was lying against him again.

Again the cave was filled with silence until the young woman decided to speak.

"Y-you know... I also c-could have done that myself..." She said nervously.

Her discomfort didn't go unnoticed to him. And to be perfectly honest, he also wasn't quite comfortable. Never before he had to use his body to warm someone up. Not it was a big deal. After all it was the biggest chance to survive this dreadful night. But this girl...His brother's teammate and the one who saved or more like ruined his death.

And he already knew the reason why. Why she aided him.

The woman covered her mouth when she yawned.

When he was lying against that old tree, about to be sucked into eternal darkness he heard a voice, a feminine voice. He heard her call someone's name. And it was not his. Not his name. It was Sasuke's. She called for Sasuke. And she had been mistaken. She had mistaken him for Sasuke. He was alive purely because it was an accident. Nothing more and nothing less. Purely because this female, that was lying against him had mistaken him for his little brother. It was all a bad misunderstanding. In reality he knew that no one would even bother to save him, help him knowing his status. It was the hard truth.

Ironically she said not long ago that it was his fault they were in this situation, and if Itachi would act childish, he would have said that she was actually the to blame. She shouldn't had aid him in from first start. It was her fault that he couldn't rest. The eternal rest he oh so wanted. He was so tired of it. All the dirty action he had to inflict in the name of Akatsuki. He was so tired of his life. Tired of all the killing. Tired of his nightmares. Tired to life in one big lie.

Still...

Itachi looked at the back of the young woman's head. He smelled her hair, which surprisingly smelled sort of nice. Her petite body didn't shake anymore. It looks like her body finally found the warmth it needed. Observing by her breathing she has fallen fast asleep. Not that the Uchiha could blame her since he guessed she hasn't slept awhile. He could hear her soft breathing. He found the sound relaxing and silently listened to it. Then her head slowly turned backwards and landed soft on his shoulder. Itachi eyed her with genuine interest. Her head slowly turned to its right and to its left, automatically finding a nice position to sleep.

The Uchiha didn't mind for some reason, besides he could see more of her face now. Eyes peacefully closed, her mouth slightly parted. A few hair locks covered parts from her cheek and eyes. Somehow he found them quite bothersome, and before he thought about it he already had raised his hand and gently brushed them away, without waking the Kunoichi.

The only reaction he gained was a soft sigh.

His mind thought back at the moment when this woman called his brother's name. It didn't take long to understand that she and Sasuke had some sort of bond, since he noticed she was so very fond of him. And her teammates would most likely think the same way about this caring female, even Sasuke.

During their battle, Sasuke was calm and collected like he was. He defiantly definitely had grown in that part. But Itachi knew him better thaen he thought. Inside he was still the same sympathetic Sasuke, who cared about his friends but just didn't want to show it because it's 'suppose' to be a sign of weakness. Itachi was actually kind of jealous of his little brother. He had friends who cared for him, even loved him. Who were probably even willing to swim too the deepest part of the ocean to get him back.

Itachi… did never have a friend. The only person who he _'considered'_ as his best friend… betrayed him. It left a deep scar in him…

Truly Sasuke didn't have a clue how lucky he was. Lucky he is. But thinking how much hate he possessed after the massacre, Itachi couldn't blame him. Sasuke was blinded by hate.

The young man knew that Sasuke always wanted to be acknowledged by him. Wanting Itachi to know he was strong too, and wanting him to be proud of him. Proud that he was his little brother. But who would just wanted to be acknowledged from a person who was about to kill his parents? Their clan? But of course Itachi could never tell him that.

Itachi already had taken so much from his little brother and now looking at her...

She softly groaned in her sleep and it was silent again.

He never indented intended to kill her in the first place. He also was not planning that…

Itachi closed his eyes.

...because he knew that Sasuke cared for this girl even when he didn't want to admit it. Itachi already mentally swore he will never take something he loved from him again. He would never destroy it again.

His eyes opened, fixed on her peaceful face.

He really doubted that he could hurt her at all. Let aside to kill her. She was so caring and true-hearted, even towards him. The second time the medic healed him she knew she faced Uchiha Itachi, not Uchiha Sasuke. And yet she aided him, knowing that the whole Mist-hunters-story was just a pitiful excuse to get him aided by her. The man still didn't know the reason why she did it, but it was the first time someone healed him knowing his background. Knowing he was actually her enemy.

Such an emotional creature. Such a dangerous thing if you are a shinobi.

The rain was getting worse. His head turned a little to the entrance, staring at their blocked entrance. After a moment the Uchiha prodigy was beginning to feel dizzy. He decided to stop all this thinking, his head needed the rest. The man knew that he was clueless know, not knowing what to do. But he- or rather _they _should see tomorrow.

His eyes threatened to close. His head closed to fall forward, but he quickly raised it and then unconsciously repeated the action. Before he could not hold it anymore.

He just wanted to rest.

Just by the thought of it his eyes closed once again and it didn't take long before he was swiped away from his exhaustion. Not knowing that his head slowly falls forwards, touched the shoulder of the Kunoichi. Arm still attached loosely around her waist.

* * *

The young dark-haired man walked silently through his village in small slow steps, since there was no haste. It was dark and not to mention freezing, but that didn't concern the leaf shinobi. His mind was too occupied to be worrying about the cold. His eyes were focused on the ground while he walked, not noticing or even greeting other villagers who passed by. Not that he actually ever did since he knew only a few people.

It took him about ten minutes to reach his destination. His steps were getting smaller a slower until he finally stood still, looking up with puzzled eyes. The young man gazed for a second at the front door, thinking about knocking, but who would knock at two AM in the morning? So he decided this once that he would go through the window.

He landed on the roof before the window in less a second. The shinobi remembered once he had read in a book that civilized people would knock first so he would knock first.

But that wasn't needed anymore.

He even hadn't had been given the time to raise his hand. The temperature immediately dropped several degrees. His eyes widened slightly at the sight. The young blond man, who he was suppose to see, stood only a few centimeters behind the window before him, glaring deathly at him. Daring him to go any further. A part of the man's appearance was lighten by the moonlight while the other part was kept in the shadows, making the pale man feeling more uneasy then he already was. This was the first time the blond man looked at him with such furious eyes. He even could have sworn that he just saw a flicker of red in his eyes. Sure he and his teammate had fights all the time, but he never had looked at him with those hateful eyes that burned through your skin.

The young man before him narrowed his eyes slightly more at him, daring him to speak.

Mostly the dark-haired man would just speak freely at him even if he wasn't having one of his best days, but this time... he remained quiet, never had been in this kind of situation. It was obvious that he wanted him to retreat. But the dark haired man didn't and that did not suit the blond man by looking at his annoyed face.

They stood there for almost a minute. No sounds were to be heard.

The blond haired male then decided to talk. "_Sai_." He growled. "Leave now."

Even Sai could understand his anger. Besides this was _his _fault, his big _mistake_. He came here to apologize. He didn't get the change to give him that, because he also once read in a book that if you want to apologize, it would be better if you do it personal... but looking at the deadly eyes of his teammate before him he actually started to doubt the book.

"Naru-"

"Are you deaf_!? I said leave!_"

Sai flinched. Even when the window was still locked he could hear it well. But even after that outburst Sai didn't leave, didn't move. The young man was determined to talk with him. His dark eyes saw Naruto's hands curl up into a fist. Not a good sign...

"No." He said calm. "I want to talk."

Naruto growled at him.

"I know this is my entire fault Naruto. I shouldn't have left her like that. So I wanted to apologize to you on behalf-"

"Is that all?" The kyuubi host spat.

Sai frowned his eyebrows, and then blinked a few times in surprise. He even didn't let him finish...

"N-"

"Then _leave._ You are _wasting _my time."

Sai blinked again, eyes looked at him in question. _Wasting his time?_

The short haired then noticed he wore his jounin clothes. _Why did he still wear his vest in the middle of the night?_

"Naruto, are you going somewhere?" Sai asked suspiciously.

"..."

He saw Naruto's eyes rolled down, with a furrowed forehead. The blond man was thinking which answer he would give. Sai gave him a few seconds, but it was already obvious to him where he was heading. This was Naruto after all.

"You are going to look for Sakura, aren't you?"

Naruto instantly looked up to him with narrowed eyes. Before he could open his mouth, Sai already began to speak.

"Let me come with you. This is all my fault. I want to help."

Naruto crossed his arms and frowned. "...I think you already did enough Sai."

There was a pregnant pause before the blond continued. His head turned to another direction, looking at something else. "Besides... didn't you hear?"

"Uh? Hear what?"

Naruto began to ponder in whether he should tell his teammate or not.

"Naruto?"

The blond male sighed in irritation before he spoke, his eyes glowing with anger, "I'm expelled. I am not to leave the village... At any cost" He said it with so much venom that even Sai took a step back.

"Why?" Sai asked.

"Why?" Naruto repeated. "Why, you ask?" He pulled up his nose in disgust. "Because those two old goats said it! That Danzo bastard probably agreed one hundred percent with them. That's why!"

Sai wanted to say something but Naruto beat him. "And you know what? I don't care what they say! I'm going to look for Sakura and that's final!"

"Naruto you are going to be captured that way," Sai said calmly. He didn't want to anger him any more then he already was, also because the whole neighborhood will wake up. "and then you will be never to be able to find her. Think about it. This will have great consequences if you ignore the advisors."

Naruto opened his window. "So you expect me to stay here and do _nothing_!" Naruto hissed.

Sai lowered his head. " Of course not. That is why I will come with you."

The blond raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"This is my mistake and I want to set it right,"

Naruto still looked at him with questions eyes.

"So... I will take the blame."

"Blame for what?"

He looked up, their eyes met. "Our departure." He said with his infamous smile.

_To be continued._

* * *

**A/N**

**The end.**

No, just kidding.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I had fun writing it at least.

_Thank you for reading and please review!_

~M00nlight


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